Rolling mill



United States Patent 3,153,955 ROLLING MILL Franz G. Platzer, Max Tendler-Gasse 26, Leoben, Steiermark, Austria Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,931 Claims priority, application Germany, June 18, 1960, Patent 25,208 3 Claims. (Cl. 80-40) The present invention relates to a rolling mill having working rolls which rotate around stationary roll support means wherein the rolls are mounted in rotating roller cages which serve simultaneously as means for transferring the working forces to the rolls. In the known rolling mills of this type the rolling pressure is transmitted through pairs of support rolls to the stationary roller support means. During the rolling operation the working rolls of this type of known rolling mill are rolling, on the one hand, on the material to be rolled and, on the other hand, on the rotating support rolls which in turn are rol1- ing on the stationary support means. During this operation varying circumferential speeds take place and these relative movements produce wear. In order to eliminate these relative movements it has been proposed to form the support roll of a plurality of rotatable roll sections which are arranged axially in series and which are rotatable independently of each other wherein one section is provided with eccentric peripheral surfaces with respect to the other section. By means of intermediate rolls which are formed in this manner and which roll with one part of their sections on the stationary roll support members while the other part of the sections support the working rolls, it is possible to avoid relative movements and thus frictions and binding stresses.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple construction for rolling mills which is dependable in operation and in which the rolling width is relatively small, this construction also providing a solution for the above-mentioned kinematic problem. The invention resides in that the working rolls are supported without the conventional support rolls but are supported on support means by support rings which are rotatably mounted on each side of the rolls on the roller shaft and, on the other hand, the rollers are journaled in the rotating roller cages in bearings which are preferably formed as roller bearings axially outwardly of the above-mentioned support rings. During the rolling of the working rolls on the material to be rolled they are rotating in the opposite direction to the support rings which roll on the stationary rolling means on each side of the rolls. Profiled guide pieces may be inserted at the guide track of the stationary roller support means on the sides thereof which face each other, these guide pieces giving the working rolls during the rolling on the support rings a clearance and thus to the material being rolled the gauge which may be desired.

The working rolls in the ring-shaped rotatable roller cages are preferably journaled with their roller pivots in roller bearings, the inner rings of which are securely fastened on the extended roller pivots. The roller cages may be connected with them in a known manner and may be driven by means of inter-connected gears in opposite directions.

The drawing illustrates an embodiment of the present invention, in which:

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FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through a rotatable rolling mill,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section of the roller bearing arrangement of the rolling mill shown in FIG. 1, taken on line IIII of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a partial section of the bearing arrangement illustrated in FIG. 2, taken on line IIIIII.

In the roller stands 1, superimposed, generally circular, support members 2, 3 are mounted non-rotatably. Around these support members, working rolls 4, 5 are arrnaged in equal circumferential intervals, these working rolls being supported by the intermediary of support rings 6, 7 mounted for free rotation independently of the rolls 4 and 5 on trunnions 6' extending axially from opposite ends of rolls 4 and 5, and, running on the guide tracks 8. 9 of support members 2, 3.

On the confronting sides of the support members 2, 3, guide pieces or cam portions 10, 11 are inserted which are provided with converging tracks 10, 11', as well as with parallel tracks 10", 11". The peripheral surface of the support members projects from the circular track on both sides of the guide pieces so that the peripheral surfaces form converging as well as diverging tracks.

The support members 2, 3 are surrounded by roller cages 12, 13 which are mounted rotatably and drivably with respect to the support members, the roller cages being securely connected to gears 14, 15. The gears 14, 15 and thus the roller cages 12, 13 are operated through the drive means (not shown) in the direction indicated in FIG. 1. The working rollers 4, 5 are mounted in the roller cages 12, 13 by means of bearing members 16, 17 so as to be radially slidable against the pressure of springs 18, 19. Rollers 4, 5 roll freely on the material to be rolled so that they roll in a direction contrary to a rolling motion with respect to supports 2, 3.

The working rolls 4, 5 which absorb the rolling forces are supported on the guide tracks 8, 9 or the guide pieces (cam portions) 10, 11 of the support members 2, 3 through the intermediary of the rotatable support rings 6, 7. The rolling force is absorbed by the working rollers 4, 5 and transmitted directly to the support rings 6, 7 which transmit the rolling force through guide pieces 10, 11 to the support members 2, 3.

During the rolling process the outer rings of the support rings 6, 7 which roll on the guide tracks 8, 9 or on the guide pieces 10, 11 rotate in a direction which is opposite to that of the working rolls 4, 5.

By means of springs 18, 19 the support rings 6, 7 are forced against the guide tracks 8, 9 or against the guide pieces 19, 11.

What is claimed is:

l. A rolling mill including a stationary support means, spaced annular cages rotatably mounted on said support means, means for driving said cages, a plurality of circumferentially spaced working rolls disposed about said support means, trunnions extending from opposite ends of said rolls, said trunnions being journaled in said cages to mount each roll for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof, spaced annular guide tracks on said support means and support rings rotatably mounted on said trunnions at the opposite ends of each roll for rotation independently of the rotation of each roll, said rings engaging said tracks to transmit the rolling force exerted on said rolls by a rolling operation to sm'd support means to rehave said cages of stresses vresulting from a rolling operation.

2. A rolling mill as defined in claim 1, in which radially movable bearing blocks are mounted in said cages to rotatably receive said trunnions with spring means urging said blocks radially inwardly to maintain said rings in engagement with said tracks.

3. A rolling mill as defined in claim 2, in which a portion of each track forms a cam surface, whereby said rings roll on said tracks and into engagement with said cam surfaces to sequentially force each roll into engagement with Work to be rolled.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Davis Oct. 4, 1904 Platzer Nov. 22, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 19, 1899 Great Britain Sept. 26, 1956 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1957 Great Britain July 5, 1961 

1. A ROLLING MILL INCLUDING A STATIONARY SUPPORT MEANS, SPACED ANNULAR CAGES ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CAGES, A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED WORKING ROLLS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID SUPPORT MEANS, TRUNNIONS EXTENDING FROM OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ROLLS, SAID TRUNNIONS BEING JOURNALED IN SAID CAGES TO MOUNT EACH ROLL FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF, SPACED ANNULAR GUIDE TRACKS ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SUPPORT RINGS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID TRUNNIONS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH ROLL FOR ROTATION INDEPENDENTLY OF THE ROTATION OF EACH ROLL, SAID RINGS ENGAGING SAID TRACKS TO TRANSMIT THE ROLLING FORCE EXERTED ON SAID ROLLS BY A ROLLING OPERATION TO SAID SUPPORT MEANS TO RELIEVE SAID CAGES OF STRESSES RESULTING FROM A ROLLING OPERATION. 